1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus. More particularly, the present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus having one or more handle members usable to move the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, medium and large image forming apparatuses such as medium and large printers or copy machines are provided with portions which users can grip by hand for moving the image forming apparatuses, that is, knobs or handles when the image forming apparatus needs to be moved for installing the image forming apparatus, changing the installation site of the image forming apparatus, etc.
For example, the medium and large image forming apparatuses are generally delivered to the users in a packaged state. Then, the user needs to unpack and install the image forming apparatus on a stand or a double cassette feeder. For this, portions which the user can grip by hand for lifting the image forming apparatus are provided on side surfaces of the image forming apparatus.
The handles have strength so that the user can safely lift the image forming apparatus having a weight between approximate 60 kg and 100 kg without dropping and transforming the lifted image forming apparatus.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an image forming apparatus 100 having conventional handles 101 and a structure of the handle 101, respectively. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional handle 101 is formed in a recessed handle having a space that is formed on a side surface of the image forming apparatus 100 to receive a hand of a user. Since the recessed handle 101 occupies a space which the hand can enter or insert inside the image forming apparatus 100 and parts or components, such as a fusing apparatus, a printed circuit board, etc., that may cause injury on the hand of the user should not be disposed in a space 103 near the handle 101, the image forming apparatus 100 provided with the recessed handle 101 becomes large in size. If the size of the recessed handle 101 is reduced for decreasing the size of the image forming apparatus 100, the space into which the user inserts the user's hand is reduced such that the user cannot stably hold and carry the image forming apparatus 100. Therefore, the recessed handle 101 makes miniaturization of the image forming apparatus 100 difficult. In FIG. 1, a reference numeral 112 represents a stand on which the image forming apparatus 100 is installed.
For solving this problem, protrusion handles formed to project to the outside of the image forming apparatus 100 are provided. However, when the image forming apparatus 100 is carried and installed, the protrusion handles may interfere with objects around the image forming apparatus 100. If the protrusion handles interferes with the objects outside the image forming apparatus 100, the protrusion handles are damaged and difficult to be used. Further, the protrusion handles are generally disposed on a portion of a side surface of the image forming apparatus 100 near the bottom surface of the image forming apparatus 100 for ease of moving. If the protrusion handles disposed near the bottom surface of the image forming apparatus 100 are damaged by the interference, a main body frame of the image forming apparatus 100 may be transformed by impact of the conflict. At this time, since a printing media feeding unit is provided on the bottom of the main body of the image forming apparatus 100, if the main body frame is transformed by the interference of the protrusion handles, the printing media feeding unit may not supply properly printing media.
Therefore, there is a need to develop an image forming apparatus having handles that can stably lift the heavy image forming apparatus and be automatically received inside a main body when the handles are not used.